Written answers

Tuesday, 23 November 2021

Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

Early Childhood Care and Education

Photo of Ivana BacikIvana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

446. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans to centralise and streamline processes with the early years hive, Pobal and Tusla to avoid situations which have arisen in a service provider (details supplied). [57481/21]

Photo of Roderic O'GormanRoderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

From the details supplied it would appear that the Deputy is referring to the process of School Age Childcare registration with Tusla.

Tusla is the independent statutory regulator of early learning and care (ELC) and school-age childcare (SAC) services in Ireland. The Tusla Early Years Inspectorate promotes and monitors the safety and quality of care and support of children in Tusla-registered services in accordance with the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016 and the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) (Registration of School Age Services) Regulations 2018.

In order to operate an ELC or SAC service, the service must be registered with Tusla. It is the responsibility of the service provider to meet the regulatory requirements in order to register and it is their responsibility to provide the necessary supporting documentation requested by Tusla. This includes evidence of planning permission as services must have appropriate planning permission in place in order to operate.

Funding for ELC and SAC services is accessed through the Early Years Hive, operated by Pobal, only where the provider has the appropriate Tusla registration. Services cannot access funding through the Hive without evidence of Tusla registration. Neither my Department nor Pobal can intervene in the registration of services with Tusla, which is the independent statutory regulator.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.